Delaware Poets Laureate Awarded
2020 AAP Fellowship
The Academy of American Poets announced that the Delaware Poets Laureate, Representative Nnamdi Chukwuocha and Al Mills, also known as the Twin Poets, have received $50,000 to launch Write Now!, an art-based community building and engagement series, including workshops, readings and service projects, focused on youth in communities impacted by gun violence and fellow veterans diagnosed with PTSD. The series will culminate with the Write Now! Poetry Festival and will take place in April 2021.
The Twin Poets are two of 23 individuals that serve as Poets Laureate of states, cities, counties, and the Navajo Nation and will be leading civic poetry programs in their respective communities in the year ahead.
The brothers and identical twins are Licensed Master Social Workers and founders of Art For Life – Delaware, a non-profit youth and community development organization rooted in the arts. The Twin Poets were the subjects of award-winning documentaries: Why I Write and Art For Life; which chronicle their artistic social change efforts. Watch the full documentary here. Al is an Iraq War veteran suffering from PTSD and Nnamdi is a State Representative and professor at Delaware State University.
From the Director
A year ago, my June "Director’s Message" talked excitedly about upcoming fairs, festivals, and concerts. What a difference a year makes! Nevertheless, I remain inspired by what artists and arts organizations alike have been doing to stay at the forefront of engaging constituents, developing innovative programming and planning for a new reality.

The arts remain a vital part of our lives. For many of us, we have found reading, music, virtual galleries, and the performing arts to be our solace over the past few months. But as Delaware slowly reopens over the coming weeks, the arts are preparing to resume live and in-person programming. I encourage you to become reconnected and re-inspired.

Arts organizations and artists across the state have been planning diligently on how to re-open in meaningful and safe ways. I know they look forward to seeing you again. Your patronage has always been important, perhaps now more than ever.
Want to discover a new hobby? Look no further than our online-only content provided by local Delaware and nationwide arts organizations. This is the perfect time to immerse yourself in the arts now, soon, and near you.
Merideth Hite Estevez
Established Professional, Music: Solo Recital
Her love and mastery of the oboe has taken Merideth Hite Estevez worldwide. She’s studied in New York City; New Haven, Connecticut; as a Fulbright Scholar in Germany; and at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Since 2017 she’s happily ensconced teaching at the University of Delaware. In the First State she has both found and created vibrant artistic and spiritual communities. Read more
Kari Ann Ebert
Emerging Professional, Literature: Poetry
Kari Ann Ebert became an English teacher, finding satisfaction by inspiring students and instilling the joy of writing. But after her own children were grown, she decided to pay attention to the myriad words inside her. “Poetry called to me more than any other discipline,” so she found a poetry writing group that encouraged and challenged her. Photo: Chelsea Memmolo Read more
On the Mezzanine
The Pandemic Paintings
by Theresa (Terre) Walton
The Pandemic Paintings, an exhibition of watercolor portraits of health care workers and scenes that represent hope to them by Theresa (Terre) Walton, will be on view in the Mezzanine Gallery from June 12-July 24, 2020. Walton, a retired art educator with over 25 years of experience, paints in both watercolors and acrylics and has exhibited in various venues in the Newark and Wilmington area.

The Pandemic Paintings started with Walton’s commitment to paint every day during the quarantine, and a spontaneous watercolor painted from a photo of her son’s fiancé in a mask before work. After posting the watercolor on Facebook, Walton received an avalanche of requests from family and friends to paint their loved ones working in health care. For over a week she painted up to 4 portraits a day to keep up with the demand. The result is a collection of over 35 portraits of people "connected to her by five degrees of separation."

Our original June and July artist exhibitions have been postponed.

Images: 2020, watercolors in various venues in the Newark and Wilmington area.
The Mezzanine Gallery, open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., is located in the
Carvel State Office Building, 820 N. French Street, Wilmington.

Visitors must wear face coverings and maintain 6 feet distance from other individuals not in their household.
Award Winners XX Exhibition Update
The June 10 Award Winners Awards Ceremony and Reception at the Biggs Museum to honor the 2020 Delaware Division of the Arts Fellowship recipients has been postponed. We are working with Museum staff to reschedule the Awards Ceremony later in the summer, if possible.

The good news... Award Winners XX, the exhibition featuring the work of the 19 artist fellows will be hosted at the Biggs Museum. Curator Ryan Grover and museum staff will install the Fellows’ work and make it available virtually until the Museum reopens. Videos, virtual tours, and web-based programs are in their plans.

Stay tuned for updates about CAMP Rehoboth and Cab Calloway School of the Arts, our other Award Winners exhibition partners.

In the meantime, visit the Division’s website to read profiles of the Fellows and get a preview of their art.
Biggs Museum of American Art
June 5 to July 23, 2020
Featured Opportunities
Delaware Seashore Poetry & Prose Writers' Retreat Application Now Open
The Delaware Division of the Arts is planning to host the 2020 Writers Retreat from November 12-15, 2020, at the University of Delaware’s Virden Center in Lewes. Lise Funderburg and Chet’la Sebree will be leading the workshops.

We are hoping that we can meet in person. However, there may be COVID-related and/or reopening circumstances that prevent us from doing so. And social distancing requirements may change some elements of the Retreat. We are in regular communication with the venue and the workshop leaders about the possibility of virtual workshops. We’ll keep applicants up to date.

The application process is competitive, and participants will be chosen based on the merit of their work. If selected, the fee for the Retreat, is $325, which includes a private room and most meals. If the Retreat goes virtual, the fee will be significantly reduced
Upcoming Nonprofit Webinars
The Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement (DANA) has scheduled a variety of webinars designed to assist the nonprofit sector continue operations during the state of emergency. Workshops include how to manage cash flow, sustain relations with donors, and conduct online meetings. They also provide updates to state and federal funding opportunities available to the nonprofit sector.

Bookmark https://alliance.delawarenonprofit.org/events/ and https://delawarenonprofit.org/covid-19/ to easily access the resources and information that they provide. If your nonprofit is not a member of DANA, you may want to consider becoming one.
Virtual Accessibility
Resources to Help Ensure Accessibility of Your Virtual Events for People with Disabilities – With the pivot to virtual programming and meetings, the National Endowment for the Arts has developed this guide to help arts organizations navigate the best approaches to accessibility.
After careful discussion and consideratio n —and owing to an abundance of caution —many organizations have decided to cancel their upcoming events, performances and exhibitions.

Please be sure to c heck the organization's website and/or social media page(s) for up-to-date information. Any canceled events will be deleted immediately after we've been notified.

Are you an organization and need to delete or postpone an event? Please contact - contact@delawarescene.com.
FY 2021 Artist Fellowship Applications Open
The Fiscal Year 2021 Artist Fellowship application is open through smARTDE with applications due August 3, 2020. Check our website for guidelines and more information.

Masters applications will be accepted in Dance, Jazz or Music from artists who have received an Established Fellowship prior to January 2014 in the same discipline.
Ongoing Division Grant Deadlines
Artist Opportunity: deadline 7/1/2020, for activities happening between 8/15/2020 - 11/15/2020

Artist Residency: rolling deadline, submitted at least 6 weeks prior to start of scheduled residency

Artist Roster : rolling deadline
Arts Access Grants: rolling deadline, submitted at least 6 weeks prior to project start date

TranspARTation Grant: Will return this fall.
Please note: All applications for grants must be submitted through smARTDE.
The Delaware Division of the Arts is an agency of the State of Delaware. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. Funding for Division programs is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit  arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278.